Tuna, a pantry staple, is a workhorse in the kitchen

It's rivaled in its versatility only by its price. A 5-ounce tin serves two — just add mayonnaise and bread — for about a buck.

"Water-packed tuna is low in fat and calories," said Marla Nawrocki, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Sutter Gould Medical Foundation in Modesto, Calif. "It is also high in protein and contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids."

A 2-ounce serving, about ¼ cup drained, of water-packed tuna has 10 grams of protein, 50 calories and 1 gram of fat.

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Processed tuna is the ultimate in convenience food. Open a pouch and eat or, with a little more effort, turn it into a sandwich for lunch. Tuna also can take a starring role at dinner — and with not much more effort than making a sandwich.

For example, tuna casserole is as easy as emptying a 10½ -ounce can of cream of mushroom soup into a 1-quart casserole dish. Mix in ½ cup milk. Drain a can of tuna and add it to the soup along with 1 cup crushed potato chips and 1 cup cooked green peas. Sprinkle top with ¼ cup crushed potato chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Other tuna-based dinner options include tuna burgers and tuna in a bean salad with onions. The list goes on.

A quiet revolution in canned tuna means it's time to stop turning up your nose at this pantry workhorse.

Crispy tuna sliders with citrus slaw

1 small red cabbage, shredded

1½ tablespoons sugar, divided

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided

1 fresh lime, juiced

½ cup minced fresh parsley, divided

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 fresh red chili pepper, minced

1 rib celery, minced

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon celery seeds

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon heavy cream

3 green onions, finely sliced

2 cups canned tuna in water, drained

½ cup dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Canola oil

Slider buns

To make slaw: In a large bowl, combine cabbage, 1 tablespoon sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Toss; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a jar, combine poppy seeds, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon, lime juice, ½ tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and lots of black pepper. Close lid and shake until blended. Pour dressing into cabbage, along with a ¼ cup parsley, and toss.

To make tuna patties: Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Add garlic, chili pepper, celery, cayenne, celery seeds, ¼ teaspoon salt and ground pepper to taste. Sauté for three minutes, then take off heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together egg, cream, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, green onions, ¼ cup parsley, garlic-chili-celery mixture, sea salt and black pepper to taste. Fold in tuna and bread crumbs. With lightly floured hands, shape about ¼ cup tuna into a patty. Dredge each patty in flour and freeze for 10 minutes. Heat ½ cup canola oil to 350 degrees in large frying pan, and fry tuna patties for three to five minutes, until golden and heated through. Place each patty on a bun and top with the citrus slaw.

Coat 13-by-9-by-2 baking dish with butter. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add rigatoni and boil until half-cooked (see package for directions). Drain and transfer rigatoni to large bowl of cold water.

Blend ricotta and tuna in a food processor until soft and smooth; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix cream and Parmesan, season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Fill pastry bag with a ¼-inch-wide conical nozzle and fill rigatoni with ricotta-tuna mixture. Arrange in orderly rows in baking dish. Pour cream mixture over stuffed rigatoni and refrigerate for three hours or overnight.